Music of D: Soundtracks and my crush on Dudamel

If you're just now joining the blogging world, you're probably wondering why half of the blog population is doing this alphabet thing. It's the A to Z Challenge and it goes the entire month. Join us!

Today's music is brought to you by the letter D!

1. "Do You Hear The People Sing?" Les Miserables cast
I'm a fan of big Broadway show-stopper tunes and "Do You Hear The People Sing" from Les Miserables easily fits the bill. The clip below is the finale of the entire show, including a mother, a father, a happy couple, a feisty kid, and  about 200+ back up singers. The initial number appears at the end of the first act, placing the cast on stage in a marching triangle, complete with huge red flags signaling the revolution. When it's done right, it's down right brilliant.

2. "Done All Wrong" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Say what you will about the books, the movies, the strength (or lack thereof) of the main character, or anything else about Twilight. But don't knock the soundtracks. Tip of the cap to the creative team who put together great soundtracks for the first three movies. When I saw that Bruno Mars was on the latest soundtrack, it kind of jumped the shark for me. I liked my Twilight soundtracks when they had a more alternative flavor. And Thom Yorke. This tune is from the 2nd movie. If you want another good one from the soundtrack, I also recommend The Editors song, "No Sound but the Wind".

3. Gustavo Dudamel and Antonin Dvorak
Classical music gets me through the dog days of NaNoWriMo. I usually listen to the local classical music station while typing but two things can pull me out of the writer's flow: a piece by Dvorak or a piece conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic. I often wonder if John Williams was influenced by the 4th movement from Dvorak's 9th Symphony, "From the New World" when creating the music for Star Wars, but that's just my opinion. Take a listen and tell me if you hear The Emperor's Theme. As an added treat, I'm linking to the LA Phil's video because I can and because Gustavo Dudamel is a musical genius.

How about you? Do you have a musical crush on Gustavo Dudamel or is this just me?

Music of C: Christina Perri, Civil Wars, and my favorite.

The letter "C" was tricky for me because I want to introduce two new(ish) artists. However, since they haven't been around THAT long, I don't have many memories associated with their songs and the ones that I do are from last fall when I was super sad. Who wants to go there again? Not this cookie.

1. Christina Perri
I first heard of Christina Perri on "So You Think You Can Dance" almost two years ago. My best friend and I watched the dance and instantly asked each other, "Who sings that?" It was such a hit that the producers brought Christina Perri in the next week to perform "Jar of Hearts" live. She was amazing. Her album "Lovestrong" is filled with some powerful songs, including The Lonely, which I've linked to below.

"Two am, where do I begin / Crying off my face again..." Yup, that about sums up last Aug/September for me. No worries. I'm better now. :)

2. The Civil Wars
About the same time I bought Christina Perri's album, I also heard this song. I couldn't figure out who sang it or where I could find it. I remember waiting for the song to end on the radio one morning when I was already late for work in hopes they would say the name of the song, or better yet, the artist. I scribbled down a note that said "Look up Poison and Wine" and the rest is history. The two artists who make up The Civil Wars have such amazing harmony with a dose of bluegrass that it makes me feel like maybe I could someday sing. Don't worry, I can't. But I like to think that if I someday was graced with the talent, I'd sound like them.

3. "Champagne Supernova" by Oasis
Listen, here's the deal. I heart Oasis. Big time. Straight up fangirl over here. I've seen them in concert at least four times and when Liam and Noel get over their current pissing contest (read: when they run out of money and need to make some ASAP) and get the band back together, I will gladly put the money down for floor seats. Until then, listen to the song that takes me back to my senior year in high school. And don't worry, there will be more Oasis throughout the month.

How about you? Any "C" artists or songs I need to know? To the comments!

Music of B: Beastie Boys and The Verve

Welcome to Day 2 of the A-Z Blogfest, brought to you by the letter B. As mentioned yesterday, here are some "b" songs and artists that I love and some reasons why.

1. "Better Days" by both Eddie Vedder and Amos Lee.
No, they didn't collaborate--but wouldn't that be amazing if they did?!--but both Amos Lee and Eddie Vedder have songs titled "Better Days" and both of them have seen some serious playtime, according to my iTunes count. I've linked to the Eddie Vedder version below. The first time I heard this song, I was in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin at a ranch house with some girlfriends. One girl popped in the Eat, Pray, Love soundtrack and I'm pretty sure the album was on repeat for the remainder of the weekend. This song makes me feel fiercely lonely and hopeful at the same time. And, true story, one line in this song inspired a story idea that is still percolating in the back of my head.

"Our future's paved with better days." This line resonates with my inner optimist.

2. "Bittersweet Symphony", The Verve
I've been a fan of this song for a number of years (holy crap--I've been out of high school how long?), but it carried an extra special meaning after my high school boyfriend suddenly passed away three years ago. He had been married four months; they hadn't even gone on their honeymoon. Knowing a young, vibrant life like his ended as a result of a "routine procedure" makes me incredibly sad. This song was played at his visitation. This one's for you, KVH.

3. The Beastie Boys
Really, I can't pick just one. My love for these guys goes back to Lollapalooza, 1994. Beastie Boys AND Smashing Pumpkins? Um, yes, please! A guy asked if I wanted to go--it wasn't until later that I realized he liked me. Here, I thought he was just offering me a ticket because he knew how much I loved the Beastie Boys. Yeah, I wasn't savvy when it came to boys. Anyway, if I had to pick only one Beasties album for a roadtrip, I'd stick to the oldie but goodie, Licensed to Ill. Brass Monkey, She's Crafty, or my fave, No Sleep Till Brooklyn. Intergalactic on the Hello Nasty album gets a very close honorable mention as well.

Music of A: U2, Martina, and Amos

Welcome, boys and girls, to this year's A to Z Challenge!

I was still working on my theme late into March, but in the end I decided to stick with my original plan of MUSIC. It's been a trying few weeks for me and I've found myself going back to some good standby albums to get me through some of the ups and downs. I hope to share this with you and maybe get some great recommendations in the comments of new artists to check out.

This month, you'll get a series of blogs highlighting some of my favorite tunes, tracks from favorite albums, special memories tied to tunes, or my favorite artists. My plan is to link to YouTube videos of a song whenever possible, and if I'm really good, I'll even link to the artist's home page. No promises though. I'm not exactly on the ball with this year's A-Z...

Without further ado, I bring you the letter A.

1. "All I Want Is You" and "Angel of Harlem", U2
The first one is easily one of my all-time favorite heart breaking tunes. As I look over the list of songs I plan to share this month, I think you should prepare for a lot of heartache tunes. My apologies in advance.

"Angel of Harlem" from the Rattle and Hum album has been an instant mood-lifter since I was a little girl. I don't know if it's the horn section or the enthusiasm in Bono's voice, but I just love it. I try to strategically place this toward the end of my running play list, usually when I need the extra pick me up for the last few miles.

If you ever get a chance to see U2 live, do yourself a favor and get a ticket. Best. Show. Ever.

2. "Anyway", Martina McBride
If asked, I'd say I'm not much of a country music fan. But then I hear someone like Martina McBride and I have to admit--I'm a fan. Guys, this lady can sing. I remember hearing once that Martina participated in the VH1 "Divas" special but had to have her mic turned down compared to the other singers because her voice is just that powerful. I believe it. She can sing AND has mastered the smokey eye make up look. Ergo, she's a superhero. And she makes me feel like it's okay to chase this crazy writer dream.

"I sing, I dream, I love anyway."

3. Amos Lee
Everything this man has done (with the exception of "Flower", just not doing it for me, Amos!) is amazing. And lucky for Minnesotans, he likes to play here. Consider this an Amos teaser; I'll have some Amos tunes come up this month. But if you're really interested in checking him out, I recommend his latest album, Mission Bell. An extra ten bonus points if you can wait patiently to the final track for a duet with Willie Nelson.

You tell me:  Any favorite artists, albums, or track with the letter A?